Sound Off for Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013

On GM: They're investing in a truck factory. Why didn't they think about Janesville? I think of all the people who worked there who are without work now. GM made Janesville a miserable place to live with the taxes, water bills, etc. GM doesn't care about the people who got thrown out of the plant here.

-- Janesville officials and the fair board had better keep their mouths shut about the plant in Janesville. If there's a deal going on to reopen that plant, one wrong word would kill it.

On voter ID: Most labor unions require photo ID for their internal elections because they want legitimate elections. In general elections, they want illegitimate elections so they can manufacture votes in the event of a close election.

-- The purpose of One Wisconsin Now is to ensure that those of legal status to vote were given the opportunity to vote, opposite of today's twisted tea party strategy of denying the opportunity.

On plowing: The snow plow goes by, plow up, putting down salt. Two hours later, plow goes by, plow down, plowing all the salt to the curb. It's a big waste of money.

On George Brunner: He's going to run again for city council. I hope people remember his lack of professionalism toward the people he worked with previously in regard to his own personal situation. He needs to step aside and let new blood get in and help the city.

On dogs: Having a pit bull around children is like having a loaded gun around.

On Jay Winzenz: Five years after GM, what a wealth of knowledge and foresight he had in the GM-Rock County 4-H Fair article Monday. This, along with his two stints as assistant city manager, shows he should have been given the city manager's job for the great job he has done.

-- He has always stepped up when needed. He performed two jobs as director of administrative services and acting city manager. He was looked over for city manager even though he has the skills and qualifications. I understand his decision to no longer continue as assistant city manager (Page 3A, Wednesday). Where is the respect for this man?

On budget deal: Shame on The Gazette and all the media. You would think Paul Ryan did all the work. Doesn't Sen. Patty Murray count for anything? Beware of Ryan. A leopard does not change its spots.

On Gov. Walker: I will not vote for him again. Of all the programs he could deny funding to, how dare he take financial help from childless people from January to April. Please rethink that decision.

-- The article on Page 3A Wednesday goes to great pains to give the impression that delaying insurance coverage for 83,000 Wisconsinites is Walker's fault. These 83,000 people were not eligible because of policies put in place by Jim Doyle. Republicans fixed that, but it is being delayed because of Obamacare's disastrous rollout.

-- Page 5A Thursday says Wisconsin drops to 37th in private job growth. I didn't see anything about where we were when Scott Walker took over. It doesn't mention that former Gov. Doyle was losing jobs at a breakneck pace.

On shoveling: Winter after winter, the same lazy people in Janesville are not shoveling. If they lived in Madison, they'd be fined automatically. In our town, it seems police do not want to get out of their car and write a ticket for lack of snow removal. When a person runs a red light, police don't wait for the neighbor to call in and report it.

On headlines: Page 5A Thursday says “Dem drops claim on Walker college years.” A more accurate headline would be “Dems lie through teeth on Walker college years.” This is nothing but a smear. On the other side we have “Do more to stop CWD, Democrats tell DNR.” That should say, “As usual, Democrats demand pursuit of failed policies.”

On skating rink: I frequently go down to Traxler Park, and I see our new ice rink for $45,000 isn't working again this year. I don't think it has worked since they put it in. I see them down there cleaning the old rink off.

On teacher morale: If you know a Janesville teacher, you know morale is horrible. Superintendent Karen Schulte knows that, as well. If she would publicly assert something that hundreds of people know is false, it makes you wonder what else she would claim.

On senior drivers: Sen. Fred Risser wants everyone older than 75 who still drives to have an eye test every four years. Well, Risser is 86 and drives a Toyota. Maybe he needs a memory test on who bombed Pearl Harbor.

-- Limiting seniors past a certain age to drive only during daylight hours could make a difference. This could be put on their licenses.